The PROSPECT physics program. (17th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ashenfelter, J; Balantekin, A B; Band, H R; Barclay, G; Bass, C D; Berish, D; Bignell, L; Bowden, N S; Bowes, A; Brodsky, J P; Bryan, C D; Cherwinka, J J; Chu, R; Classen, T; Commeford, K; Conant, A J; Davee, D; Dean, D; Deichert, G; Diwan, M V; Dolinski, M J; Dolph, J; DuVernois, M; Erickson, A S; Febbraro, M T; Gaison, J K; Galindo-Uribarri, A; Gilje, K; Glenn, A; Goddard, B W; Green, M; Hackett, B T; Han, K; Hans, S; Heeger, K M; Heffron, B; Insler, J; Jaffe, D E; Jones, D; Langford, T J; Littlejohn, B R; Caicedo, D A Martinez; Matta, J T; McKeown, R D; Mendenhall, M P; Mueller, P E; Mumm, H P; Napolitano, J; Neilson, R; Nikkel, J A; Norcini, D; Pushin, D; Qian, X; Romero, E; Rosero, R; Seilhan, B S; Sharma, R; Sheets, S; Surukuchi, P T; Trinh, C; Varner, R L; Viren, B; Wang, W; White, B; White, C; Wilhelmi, J; Williams, C; Wise, T; Yao, H; Yeh, M; Yen, Y-R; Zangakis, G Z; Zhang, C; Zhang, X;
• Other Names: collab.
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 43:Number 11(2016:Nov.)
• Publication Date: 2016-10-17
• Subjects: reactor neutrino experiments -- scintillator detectors -- neutrino oscillation -- research reactors; 14.60.St -- 14.60.Pq -- 28.50.Dr -- 29.40.Mc; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; Particles (Nuclear physics) -- Periodicals; Physique nucléaire -- Périodiques; Particules (Physique nucléaire) -- Périodiques; Kernfysica; Elementaire deeltjes; 539.7
• DOI: 10.1088/0954-3899/43/11/113001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-3899

Abstract

Abstract: The precision reactor oscillation and spectrum experiment, PROSPECT, is designed to make a precise measurement of the antineutrino spectrum from a highly-enriched uranium reactor and probe eV-scale sterile neutrinos by searching for neutrino oscillations over a distance of several meters. PROSPECT is conceived as a 2-phase experiment utilizing segmented 6 Li-doped liquid scintillator detectors for both efficient detection of reactor antineutrinos through the inverse beta decay reaction and excellent background discrimination. PROSPECT Phase I consists of a movable 3 ton antineutrino detector at distances of 7–12 m from the reactor core. It will probe the best-fit point of the ν e disappearance experiments at 4 σ in 1 year and the favored region of the sterile neutrino parameter space at > 3 σ in 3 years. With a second antineutrino detector at 15–19 m from the reactor, Phase II of PROSPECT can probe the entire allowed parameter space below 10 eV 2 at 5 σ in 3 additional years. The measurement of the reactor antineutrino spectrum and the search for short-baseline oscillations with PROSPECT will test the origin of the spectral deviations observed in recent θ 13 experiments, search for sterile neutrinos, and conclusively address the hypothesis of sterile neutrinos as an explanation of the reactor anomaly.